Device and method for storing and supporting a smokable sleeve

ABSTRACT

A device for storing and supporting a smokable sleeve comprises a body defining a chamber for storing the smokable sleeve, and a sleeve holder connected to the body for supporting the sleeve in a fillable position, the sleeve holder comprising an aperture for releasably receiving the sleeve. The device may comprise two or more spaced apertures for receiving a sleeve or a plurality of sleeves. The sleeve holder may be integrally formed with the body or releasably connected to the body such that the sleeve holder is disposed either outside of the chamber or within the chamber. The device may be a rigid or resilient material such as plastic, cardboard, or paper.

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional App. Ser. No.62/862,003, filed Jun. 14, 2019, the disclosure and teaching of which isincorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to smokable sleeves. More specifically,the present invention is, in aspects, concerned with devices for storingand supporting a smokable sleeve as well as related methods.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Smoking articles, such as cigars, cigarettes, or the like can bepurchased completely pre-formed and filled or can be formed and filledby an end-user. For example, rolling paper may be used to roll asmokable material. The papers are ordinarily distributed and sold inindividual packs that include an outer packaging, which typically servesto protect and sometimes preserve the rolling papers therein. Thatpackaging typically maintains the rolling papers in either a basicallyflat or folded shape. Alternatively, smokable sleeves may be purchasedin a pre-formed configuration, optionally containing a filter, and whichare ready to be filled by the end user with the smokable material ofchoice.

Devices for supporting smokable sleeves have been described. Forexample, US Design Patent No. D797370 shows the ornamental features of a“Combined Scoop and Holder For Rolling Paper or Cone. US Publication No.2018/0055087 describes a “Protective Case That Facilitates The JoiningOf Ground, Smokable Tobacco And Herbs With Preformed Conical SmokingWrappers By Gravity And Inertia Through Applied Force And Motion AndMethod Of The Same.”

Despite this, there remains a need for alternative devices to overcomeor mitigate at least some of the deficiencies of the prior art and/or toprovide a useful alternative.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with an aspect, there is provided a device for storing andsupporting a smokable sleeve, the device comprising: a body defining achamber for storing the sleeve; and a sleeve holder connected to thebody for supporting the sleeve in a fillable position.

Preferably, the sleeve holder defines an aperture for receiving asleeve. However, the sleeve holder may alternatively define two or morespaced apertures for receiving a sleeve. The two or more spacedapertures may be the same or different sizes. In any embodiment, theaperture(s) may be cylindrical, conical, frusto-conical, or any othershape, and in an embodiment with two or more spaced apertures, theapertures may be the same or different shapes. In any embodiment,apertures may extend either partially or fully through the sleeveholder. It is envisioned that the apertures may each comprise of one ormore internal flaps to engage the sleeve.

Preferably, the sleeve holder is integral with the body, though it isenvisioned that the sleeve holder may also be releasably connected tothe body. The sleeve holder may be disposed either on the inside or theoutside of the chamber. In an embodiment, the sleeve holder may behingedly connected to the body and be movable from the inside of thechamber to the outside of the chamber. The sleeve holder may compriseone or more flanges extending from one or more walls of the body, orfrom one or more edges of the same wall, and the sleeve holder may beextended between two opposing edges of a wall of the body.

It is envisioned that the sleeve holder may be configured to hold aplurality of sleeves. In any embodiment, it is envisioned that thesleeve(s) may be in the shape of a cone or cylinder, and made be madeentirely or substantially of plastic, cardboard, or paper. In yetanother embodiment, the device may further comprise a funnel for fillingthe sleeves and/or a packing tool. It is envisioned that the device mayfurther comprise a chamber for storing smokable material, such astobacco, prior to placement within the sleeve(s). The device may alsocomprise a chamber for storing unrolled sleeves.

The body preferably comprises a lid for enclosing the chamber. The lidmay envelope the chamber such that the chamber is slidable in and out ofthe lid. The lid may also be hinged to a wall of the body.

It is envisioned that the device may be rigid or resilient, and may bereusable or disposable.

The present invention also provides a method of filling a smokablesleeve, the method comprising placing the sleeve in the sleeve holder ofthe device described herein in a fillable position and introducingsmokable material into the sleeve.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description. It should beunderstood, however, that the detailed description and the specificexamples while indicating aspects of the invention are given by way ofillustration only, and various changes and modifications within thespirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilledin the art from said detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The present invention will be further understood from the followingdescription with reference to the Figures, in which:

FIGS. 1A-1B are perspective views of a smokable sleeve, showing a rolledcone and a rolled cone with a filter tip;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the body of the devicedescribed herein;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the body of thedevice described herein;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the body of thedevice described herein;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the body of thedevice described herein;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the body of thedevice described herein; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the body of thedevice described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Described herein, in aspects, are devices for both supporting andstoring smokable sleeves. Many end users prefer to roll their ownsmoking articles, such as cigars, cigarettes, or the like. Papers orother sheets of material used as the outer wrapper for smoking articlesare commonly made from leaves or pulp derived from a variety of sources,such as wood, rice, cellulose, flax, plant fibers, herbs, palm leaf,tobacco, paper, and combinations of the foregoing (collectively referredto herein as “rolling paper”). Rolling papers can be used to rollcigarette tobacco, cigar tobacco, pipe tobacco, tobacco substitutes, andmost any other similar smokable materials. Typically, the papers aredistributed and sold in individual packs that include an outer packagingfor protecting and sometimes preserving the rolling papers therein. Thatpackaging typically maintains the rolling papers in either asubstantially flat or folded shape.

To roll a smoking article, an end user typically removes one or morerolling papers from its packaging, manipulates the one or more rollingpapers, places a desired amount of smokable material in the one or morerolling papers, and rolls the one or more rolling papers into a tubularshape. The tubular shape is then sealed using adhesive or moisture, andallowed to dry to form a shell, which contains the smokable material.After drying, the smoking article may be smoked by the end user.

The rolling paper can also be sold pre-rolled as hollow cylinders/tubesor as cones or frusto-cones, herein defined as “smokable sleeves”, tosimplify the process of preparing a smoking article. Some of thesesmokable sleeves are sold pre-rolled with a filter tip attached alreadyto one end. The smokable sleeves are then filled with a smokablematerial by the end user.

A problem associated with using pre-rolled smokable sleeves is that itis often difficult for an end user to hold the smokable sleeve to fillit with the desired filler material. Either the user holds the sleevewith one hand and attempts to fill it with the other, or one owns acone/tube holder that the cone can be put in. However, these coneholders are separate parts, and thus often hard to keep possession ofwhen needed. The devices described herein are able to support one ormore smokable sleeves in a position for easy filling while,simultaneously, providing storage space for one or more smokable sleevesthat have already been filled or that are empty waiting to be filled.

Described herein is a device that both stores smokable sleeves, such aspre-rolled cones or tubes/cylinders, and supports the sleeves so thatthey can be easily filled with a smokable material, such as cannabisand/or tobacco. This combined functionality removes the need to own aseparate cone holder and carrying it wherever the user goes. FIG. 1shows an exemplary cone-shaped smokable sleeve 10, made of rolling paper12 and optionally comprising a filter 14.

FIG. 2 shows a device 100 for storing and supporting a smokable sleeve10, as described herein. The device comprises a body defining a chamber102 for storing one or more sleeves 10. The chamber 102 is defined bytop 104, bottom 106, and side walls 108 of the body. A sleeve holder 110preferably extends from the side wall 108 and defines an aperture 112for supporting the sleeve 10 in a fillable position. As is shown in FIG.3, the aperture 112 may comprise one or more internal flaps 114 that aresufficiently flexible to better support the smokable sleeve 10 andresist slipping or tipping of the smokable sleeve 10 once placed insleeve holder 110.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the device 100, wherein the sleeveholder 110 comprises a top sleeve holder portion 116 and a bottom sleeveholder portion 118, which are preferably spaced apart and extend fromthe side wall 108. The top sleeve holder portion 116 defines an aperture112 that is slightly larger than an aperture 113 defined by the bottomsleeve holder portion 118 in order to securely support a smokable sleeve10 that has a smaller diameter at the smoking end as compared to thefilling end. Such smokable sleeves 10 are generally cone-shaped and arereferred to as “cones,” as shown in FIG. 1. It will be understood that atube-shaped smokable sleeve could be used with the sleeve holder 110 ofFIG. 4 or that the sleeve holder of FIG. 4 could be designed to haveapertures 112 and 113 that are the same size in the top sleeve holderportion 116 and the bottom sleeve holder portion 118 to specificallyaccommodate tube-shaped smokable sleeves 10.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the device 100 that is similar tothat shown in FIG. 4. However, in this embodiment, the bottom sleeveholder portion 118 does not define an aperture 113 and, rather, simplyprovides a support upon which the smokable sleeve may rest. The bottomsleeve holder portion 118 could be provided with a concave region ordepression rather than an aperture or flat surface that would guide thesmokable sleeve 10 into proper position for filling as desired.

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the device 100, wherein the sleeveholder 110 extends from a side wall 108, and in a preferred embodimentmay have a height equal to the side wall 108 such that the sleeve holder110 extends from an edge of the top wall 104 to an edge of the bottomwall 106 and defines a passageway 120 that is capable of supporting thesmokable sleeve 10. The sleeve holder 110 could instead extendsubstantially from one edge to another, or various distances between theedges with a height smaller than that of the side wall 108. Thepassageway 120 is illustrated as being frusto-conical, however, it willbe understood that it could be conical, cylindrical, or any other shapethat would support a smokable sleeve 10.

FIG. 7 shows the device 100 comprising a lid 122 that envelopes thechamber 102 such that the chamber 102 is slidable into and out of thelid 122. In this embodiment, the sleeve holder 110 is disposed inside ofthe chamber 102 so that it is hidden from view once the chamber 102 isslid into the lid 122. It is envisioned that any of the sleeve holders110 of the preceding embodiments may be disposed inside chamber 102,with or without the lid 122.

The lid 122 enveloping the chamber 102, in some embodiments, may beoperable to move between a closed position and an open position. In someembodiments, the lid 122 may be slidably coupled to the chamber 102,such that the lid 122 slides between a closed position and an openposition. In some embodiments where the lid 122 is slidably coupled tothe chamber 102, the lid 122 may comprise a raised stop, which canprevent the cover from sliding off the chamber 102. In otherembodiments, the chamber 102 may comprise at least one stop operable toprevent the lid 122 from sliding off the chamber 102.

In some embodiments, the lid 122 may comprise window. The window can beconstructed of a transparent or translucent material. In someembodiments, the window may allow a consumer to view the sleeve holder110 disposed in the chamber 102. In other embodiments, the window mayallow a consumer to view the entire contents of the chamber 102including the sleeve holder 110. In some embodiments, the lid 122 maycomprise a tractive region comprising a tractive material or design. Thetractive region can facilitate moving the lid 122 between the open andclosed positions. The tractive region, for example, can facilitate auser's ability to slide the lid 122 between the open and closedpositions.

It will be understood that the lid 122 need not be configured to slidewith respect to the chamber 102 and, rather, the lid 122 could fold openand closed from one end or from the top, bottom or a side, for example,so long as the lid 122 functions to enclose the chamber 102 and permitaccess to a smokable sleeve 10 contained therein. In other words, thelid 122 could define a portion of the chamber 102 and could be flexiblyconnected, such as hinged, to allow opening and closing of the lid 122relative to the chamber 102.

In some embodiments, the sleeve holder 110 moves between the firstposition substantially inside the chamber 102 and the second positionsubstantially outside the chamber 102 as the lid 122 moves from theclosed position to the open position. In some embodiments, the sleeveholder 110 may be coupled to the lid 122.

It will be understood that the aperture 112 and/or passageway 120 mayhave any desired shape. Typically, these are configured to supportconventional cylindrical and/or conical smokable sleeves 10, however,the aperture 112 and/or passageway 120 need not be themselvescylindrical or conical. They may, for example, be trapezoidal orhexagonal. On the other hand, the aperture 112 and/or passageway 120 maybe sized to specifically fit a desired smokable sleeve 10 shape,corresponding to smokable sleeves 10 that may be provided in conjunctionwith the device 100.

Similarly, any number of sleeve holders 110 may be provided in a singledevice 100. For example, in any of the aforementioned embodiments,several adjacent apertures 112 and/or passageways 120 may be providedthat are sized the same or differently to support difference preferencesfor shapes and sizes of smokable sleeves 110. Alternatively oradditionally, multiple distinct sleeve holders 110 may extend fromdifferent sides or from one side of the device 100.

Likewise, the device 100 itself has been illustrated as beingrectangular, as this shape would typically fit one or several smokablesleeves 10 that can be conveniently stored for future use. However, thedevice 100 can take any suitable shape. For example, the device 100shown in FIGS. 2-7 would store the smokable sleeves 10 in a flat,side-by-side orientation and, therefore, the top 104 and bottom 106walls are spaced close together and have a greater surface area thaneach side wall 108. The device 100 could, instead, store the smokablesleeves 10 upright and therefore the top 104 and bottom 106 walls wouldbe spaced further apart. These top 104 and bottom 106 walls could, forexample, be round and there could be a single continuous side wall 108forming a cylindrical or cone-/frusto-cone-shaped device 100. The device100 can be formed in any suitable shape.

The device 100 described herein may include further elements, eitherincluded in additional chambers or compartments of the device 100 or aselements of a kit. For example, the device 100 described herein mayinclude a funnel that can assist in filling the sleeves without spillingany filler material and/or a packing tool to assist in compressing thefiller material into the smokable sleeve 10. The device may additionalor alternatively include a chamber for storing unrolled sleeves, such asflat rolling papers, and/or a chamber for storing the smokable materialto be used to fill the smokable sleeves 10. A grinder mayfurther/alternatively be included and/or a scoop for picking up thefilling material and placing it in the smokable sleeve 10. A lighterand/or matches may be included with the device 100 or as part of a kit.

Methods of using the device 100 are also described. Typically, a userremoves an empty smokable sleeve 10 from the chamber 102 and places itin the sleeve holder 110 in a filling position, with the filling endfacing upwards and the smoking/filter end facing downwards. The userscoops up some prepared smokable material, such as tobacco, and placesit in the smokable sleeve 10. This may be facilitated through use of afunnel and/or scoop, and compressed as desired using a packing tool.Typically, the end of the smokable sleeve 10 is sealed, such as bytwisting the sleeve material, and the resulting smokable article isready for use. The smokable article can be smoked immediately or placedinto the chamber 102 of the device 100 and stored for future use.

The device described herein is referred to as having a “top” and“bottom,” as well as “sides” extending between the top and bottom. Itwill be understood that the top, bottom, and sides are relative to theorientation in which the device is held. However, for ease ofunderstanding, these features of the device will be explained relativeto the orientation in which the device would be used with a sleeveinserted into the sleeve holder, with an open end of the sleeve facingthe upward direction, ready for filling with a smokable material. Thisis the orientation shown in the drawings herein.

In understanding the scope of the present application, the articles “a”,“an”, “the”, and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or moreof the elements. Additionally, the term “comprising” and itsderivatives, as used herein, are intended to be open ended terms thatspecify the presence of the stated features, elements, components,groups, integers, and/or steps, but do not exclude the presence of otherunstated features, elements, components, groups, integers and/or steps.The foregoing also applies to words having similar meanings such as theterms, “including,” “having,” and their derivatives.

It will be understood that any aspects described as “comprising” certaincomponents may also “consist of” or “consist essentially of,” (or viceversa) wherein “consisting of” has a closed-ended or restrictive meaningand “consisting essentially of” means including the components specifiedbut excluding other components except for materials present asimpurities, unavoidable materials present as a result of processes usedto provide the components, and components added for a purpose other thanachieving the technical effects described herein.

It will be understood that any component defined herein as beingincluded may be explicitly excluded from the claimed invention by way ofproviso or negative limitation, whether implicitly or explicitly definedherein. In addition, all ranges given herein include the end of theranges and also any intermediate range points, whether explicitly statedor not.

Finally, terms of degree such as “substantially”, “about” and“approximately” as used herein mean a reasonable amount of deviation ofthe modified term such that the end result is not significantly changed.These terms of degree should be construed as including a deviation of atleast ±5% of the modified term if this deviation would not negate themeaning of the word it modifies.

The above disclosure generally describes the present invention. Changesin form and substitution of equivalents are contemplated ascircumstances may suggest or render expedient. Although specific termshave been employed herein, such terms are intended in a descriptivesense and not for purposes of limitation.

All publications, patents, and patent applications cited above areherein incorporated by reference in their entirety to the same extent asif each individual publication, patent or patent application wasspecifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by referencein its entirety.

Although preferred aspects of the invention have been described hereinin detail, it will be understood by those skilled in the art thatvariations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of theinvention or the scope of the appended claims.

1. A device for storing and supporting a smokable sleeve, the devicecomprising: a body defining a chamber for storing the smokable sleeve;and a sleeve holder connected to the body for supporting the sleeve in afillable position, the sleeve holder comprising an aperture forreleasably receiving the sleeve.
 2. The device of claim 1, furthercomprising two or more spaced apertures for receiving a sleeve or forreceiving a plurality of sleeves.
 3. The device of claim 2, wherein thetwo or more spaced apertures are the same size or different sizes. 4.The device of claim 1, wherein the sleeve holder is integral with thebody.
 5. The device of claim 1, wherein the sleeve holder is releasablyconnected to the body.
 6. The device of claim 1, wherein the sleeveholder is disposed either outside of the chamber or within the chamber.7. The device of claim 4, wherein the sleeve holder is hingedlyconnected to the body and is movable from the inside of the chamber tothe outside of the chamber.
 8. The device of claim 1, wherein the sleeveholder further comprises: one or more flange extending from a wall ofthe body; and one or more internal flaps for engaging the sleeve.
 9. Thedevice of claim 1, wherein the aperture extends partially or fullythrough the sleeve holder.
 10. The device of claim 1, wherein the bodycomprises a lid for enclosing the chamber, the lid enveloping thechamber such that the chamber is removable from the lid.
 11. The deviceof claim 1, further comprising one or more of a funnel for filling thesleeves, a packing tool, a chamber for storing smokable material, and achamber for storing unrolled sleeves.
 12. The device of claim 1, whereinthe aperture is cylindrical, conical, or frusto-conical.
 13. The deviceof claim 1, wherein the device is a rigid or resilient material.
 14. Thedevice of claim 13, wherein the resilient or rigid material is one ormore of plastic, cardboard, or paper.
 15. A method of filling a smokablesleeve, the method comprising placing the sleeve in the sleeve holder ofthe device of claim 1 in a fillable position, and introducing smokablematerial into the sleeve.